Bolivian President Evo Morales, claimed Tuesday the U.S. encouraged drug trafficking and terrorism in Colombia to justify it's military presence there.

In press conference Morales indicated his view that Colombia had maintain anti-drug accords with the U.S. since 1952, yet they have not been able to eradicate the country's drug trade.

"I am convinced that the United States encouraged drug trafficking in Colombia to justify a military base there," stressed Morales, reported newspaper El Espectador Tuesday.

The Bolivian president also indicated that although he did not have information on the status of the FARC guerrillas in 1952, the U.S. also "promoted terrorism in order to justify North American presence [in Latin America]."

"Wherever the empire is present there will never be integration, nor peace, nor the assurance of democracy, nor the development of that country. The empire always comes accompanied by military bases," Morales further declared.

According to Morales the U.S. use of military bases on Colombian soil is actually an invasion of South America, where a rebellion exists in countries such as Venezuela, Ecuador and Bolivia against such presence.

Morales is among various Latin American leaders who have strongly opposed the Colombia - U.S. agreement, which was signed in November and allows for the U.S. military to use some seven airbases throughout Colombia.